Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). Verse: 1885–1918. 1922.

A Song in Storm

BE well assured that on our side

The abiding oceans fight,

Though headlong wind and heaping tide

Make us their sport to-night.

By force of weather not of war

In jeopardy we steer:

Then welcome Fate’s discourtesy

Whereby it shall appear,

How in all time of our distress,

And our deliverance too,

The game is more than the player of the game,

And the ship is more than the crew!

Out of the mist into the mirk

The glimmering combers roll.

Almost these mindless waters work

As though they had a soul—

Almost as though they leagued to whelm

Our flag beneath their green:

Then welcome Fate’s discourtesy

Whereby it shall be seen, etc.

Be well assured, though wave and wind

Have mightier blows in store,

That we who keep the watch assigned

Must stand to it the more;

And as our streaming bows rebuke

Each billow’s baulked career,

Sing, welcome Fate’s discourtesy

Whereby it is made clear, etc.

No matter though our decks be swept

And mast and timber crack—

We can make good all loss except

The loss of turning back.

So, ’twixt these Devils and our deep

Let courteous trumpets sound,

To welcome Fate’s discourtesy

Whereby it will be found, etc.

Be well assured, though in our power

Is nothing left to give

But chance and place to meet the hour,

And leave to strive to live,

Till these dissolve our Order holds,

Our Service binds us here.

Then welcome Fate’s discourtesy

Whereby it is made clear,

How in all time of our distress,

As in our triumph too,

The game is more than the player of the game,

And the ship is more than the crew!